A life hack is a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one’s time and daily activities in a more efficient way. There are websites devoted to life hacks. lifehacker.com and lifehack.org or 1000lifehacks.com for example.
I came across a great article this morning. It was written for pastors, but applies to all of us, just a few suggestions to make us more efficient. I could be more efficient, a lot more efficient. I have added my own thoughts, as usual.
1. Fill The Gaps With Meaning
I have developed the habit of picking up my iphone when I have an idle moment. These include:
- At a stop light. (happens all the time)
- When my wife stops talking. (hardly ever happens)
- When the food takes more than 30 seconds to arrive.
- When a commercial comes on TV. (more on TV later)
- When the pastor gets a bit boring. (hardly ever happens when it does I hope people think I am studying my digital bible)
- When I’m in the bathroom. . . waiting. (use your imagination)
I could use that time a bit better, for example:
- Praying.
- Talking to my wife.
- Reading a bible verse.
- Listen to worship music.
- Admiring our beautiful world and the beautiful people in it.
- Dreaming up blog topics.
A lot of my wasted time isn’t in big chunks but in small nibbles.
2. Cut Out Trivial Pursuits
A lot of my wasted time is in big chunks. I have an addictive personality. I haven’t turned to drugs, alcohol or gambling, but . . .
The average American watches 5 hours…a day. One group where I’m “above average.”
The average 21-year-old in America has spent 10,000 hour gaming over his life so far…more time than he actually spent in middle school and high school combined. That means I’ve logged over 30,000 hours gaming more time than I spent in all my schooling. If I’m average and as I’ve said, “I’m above average.”
We need to relax and enjoy, but in the same way that you are what you eat (speaking of addictions) , you become what you consume.
So curb the junk.
3. Rest When You’re Tired, But Not Longer
“Laziness is resting when you’re not tired.” Sometimes I get tired of resting. Really.
Stop resting when you’re not tired. The more you do the more energy you have, or so I’m told.
Do something…meaningful.
4. Get up earlier.
This is one case of do what I do. If I got up any earlier I wouldn’t go to bed. I am more productive before the sun comes up. Perhaps I’m a vampire. I do my “Seek First The Kingdom” stuff early. Maybe that’s why I like to rest so much the rest of the day.
5. Hang with winners.
I love it when my grand-daughter Jess and her husband are around. They are like the energizer bunny. I get tired just watching them. When they are around, I do more stuff. I don’t know if it’s embarrassment or envy. When I hang with movers, I move. When I hang with the happy, I smile. Hang with winners. Losers are a drag.
6. Focus on today.
You can’t change yesterday. You might not get tomorrow. A million wise men and women said that. We’ve all said that. We just don’t do it.
Let’s hack this life and make a difference.
Good advice.